Chapter 9: The Mother They Lied To
Rachel collapsed against the wall.
“No.””
Her voice was barely a whisper.
“No, no, no…”
I held June tighter.
My mind couldn't process it.
The baby I had carried.
The baby I had fought to protect.
The baby I had called my daughter every night.
Was biologically Rachel's.
But something about that truth felt incomplete.
I looked at Luke.
“You knew.””
He shook his head desperately.
“I didn't know she was Rachel's.””
“But you knew about the swap.””
“I knew they were moving babies.””
“You let me believe June was mine.””
“I was trying to stop it.””
Rachel stepped toward him.
“Stop it?””
Her face was wet with tears.
“You helped them take my daughter.””
Luke looked at her.
“I didn't know which baby was yours.””
“You didn't care.””
“I did.””
“Then why did you keep taking their money?””
Luke had no answer.
Daniel stepped between them.
“Because he was afraid.””
Rachel stared at him.
“Afraid?””
Daniel nodded.
“Marcus threatened him.””
Luke looked at his brother.
“Don't.””
Daniel ignored him.
“He threatened Emily.””
My eyes narrowed.
“When?””
“Before the birth.””
Luke looked down.
“Marcus told him that if he refused, he'd make sure Emily disappeared too.””
I stared at Luke.
“You never told me.””
“I couldn't.””
“You could have tried.””
“I thought I could handle it.””
Rachel laughed through her tears.
“And instead, you destroyed three families.””
Luke's face twisted with guilt.
“I know.””
A crackle came from the ceiling speaker.
Marcus's voice returned.
“Rachel, you should be grateful.””
She looked up.
“For what?””
“For getting your daughter back.””
Rachel shouted, “Where is my son?””
Silence.
Olivia stepped forward.
“And my baby?””
No answer.
“Where are our children?””
Marcus finally replied.
“You're asking the wrong question.””
Daniel looked upward.
“What do you want?””
“Daniel.””
Marcus's tone changed.
“You've been hiding for eleven years.””
Daniel's face hardened.
“I'm done hiding.””
“You think you can expose us?””
“Yes.””
“You think the police can protect you?””
Detective Harris's voice suddenly came through the radio.
“They'll try.””
Marcus laughed.
“You still don't understand.””
A sharp sound came from the hallway.
Then another.
Glass breaking.
Detective Harris shouted over the radio.
“Everyone stay where you are!””
The connection went dead.
Eli looked at Daniel.
“What now?””
Daniel pointed toward another door.
“There's an emergency stairwell.””
We moved quickly.
Rachel followed me.
She stared at June.
“I know she's yours in every way that matters to you.””
I looked at her.
“I don't know what she is anymore.””
Rachel's eyes filled with tears.
“She is my daughter.””
I nodded.
“And she's the baby I raised.””
Neither of us knew what to say after that.
At the stairwell, Daniel stopped.
“Wait.””
He pulled a small key from his pocket.
Eli frowned.
“Where did you get that?””
Daniel looked at him.
“From Luke.””
Luke nodded.
“I gave it to him.””
I stared at my husband.
“How long have you two been working together?””
“Not long.””
“How long?””
Luke looked ashamed.
“Three weeks.””
My chest tightened.
“Three weeks?””
“I contacted Daniel after Eli started investigating.””
Eli looked at Luke.
“You could have told me.””
“I didn't trust you.””
“Why?””
“Because Marcus had people everywhere.””
Eli stared at him.
“And you trusted your supposedly dead brother?””
Luke looked at Daniel.
“He was the only person who knew how to get us out.””
Daniel opened the stairwell door.
A cold draft hit us.
Then we heard footsteps below.
Someone was coming up.
Daniel quickly shut the door.
“Back.””
We moved away.
Luke looked terrified.
“There's another exit.””
“Where?””
“Basement.””
Daniel shook his head.
“Too dangerous.””
Eli suddenly pulled out his phone.
“I've got signal.””
He typed rapidly.
Then his expression changed.
“What?””
He looked at me.
“Emily, I found the original birth record.””
My heart pounded.
“You mean the one from before the swap?””
“Yes.””
“Who's listed as the mother?””
Eli hesitated.
“Rachel.””
Rachel closed her eyes.
“And the father?””
Eli didn't answer.
I looked at him.
“Tell me.””
He slowly raised the phone.
The father's name was printed beneath Rachel's.
I stared.
Then looked at Luke.
He looked terrified.
Because the name on the document wasn't Daniel.
It wasn't Luke.
It wasn't any stranger.
It was *Eli Morgan*.
I couldn't breathe.
Rachel stared at Eli.
“You?””
Eli's face went pale.
“I've never seen this.””
Luke whispered, “That's impossible.””
Eli shook his head.
“I've never met Rachel before this investigation.””
Rachel stared at him.
“I don't know you.””
Daniel looked at the document.
Then at Eli.
“Someone forged this.””
Eli zoomed in.
“No.””
His voice was shaking.
“The hospital signature is genuine.””
Rachel's knees nearly buckled.
“I don't understand.””
Neither did I.
Then Eli looked at me.
“There is another page.””
“What does it say?””
He opened it.
A single line appeared beneath the paternity record.
*TRANSFER AUTHORIZED BY: EMILY CARTER.*
My blood ran cold.
“I never authorized anything.””
Eli looked at the timestamp.
“Emily…”
“What?””
“This authorization was made eleven years ago.””
I stared at him.
Eleven years.
Before Luke.
Before June.
Before Rachel.
Before I had ever heard of Bright Futures.
Daniel slowly backed away from the screen.
“No.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
His face had gone white.
He whispered—
May you like
“That's the date I was declared dead.””
And from somewhere beneath the hospital, a baby began to cry.
